This invention is related to internal combustion engine muffler structures. More particularly the invention is related to muffler structures which convert products of combustion in the exhaust gases.
Many types of exhaust gas mufflers are noted in the prior art to muffle or reduce the sound emission or noise in the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. These prior art mufflers are designed mainly to reduce the exhaust gas noise of an engine and they make no appreciable contribution toward completing the combustion of unburned hydrocarbon materials normally contained in internal combustion engine exhaust gases. Some exhaust gas conversion devices are known in the art to burn the unburned hydrocarbon materials in the exhaust gases, however these require external power in the form of heat, electrical sparks and so forth. Heretofore devices known in the art which will convert or burn substantially all of the hydrocarbon material in the exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine without the use of an external power source. Also it is to be noted that the prior art devices will not function or will function very ineffectively and inefficiently when an engine is operated at idle speed or a substantially slow speed because the devices require a relatively high gas flow rate for proper operation. No prior art device is known which will function effectively at a low engine speed or with a relatively low velocity exhaust gas flow.